A video editing system is used to manipulate video images. Such a system typically comprises a data-processing system such as a personal computer, a video display, and various user interface devices such as a keyboard and a pointing device. The data-processing system can be a general-purpose computer that comprises a processor, memory, and input and output interfaces that constitute a user interface. The data-processing system executes video editing software that performs editing functions on media content, based on the commands received through the user interface devices, and provides the edited media content to the video display. The video display can be a display apparatus such as a monitor that receives a video signal from the data-processing system and creates a visual image of the signal for the user.
There are various features that a video editing system can typically provide. A first feature is video and audio streaming, in which the video editing system can be used to edit portions of one or more streams of video and audio data, and then play the edited streams via the video display and a loudspeaker. A second feature is timeline presentation, in which a displayed graphic representation of the passage of time as a line can be used to control playback of the streams and to identify where a session that is being played back is in time.